Signs of Life
by sakura-dream
Summary: Tired of their son's rebellious nature, Matt is placed in Kyoto Hospital, a mental institution, where he meets someone who defies everything he stands for. But can he learn to accept that friendship, love, and even insanity are just signs of life? taito.
1. new faces

I don't own digimon, nor any of the characters. I just like to mess with them.

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new faces

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"You've got to be kidding me."

Yamato quirked an eyebrow, taking in his surroundings. "I'm afraid not Ishida-kun," The nurse replied, tucking a pencil behind her ear. "Your father said that it is the opinion of the psychiatrist that your 'disappearing stunts' are your way of expressing depression." The blond shot her an icy glare. She was not much older than he was, perhaps in her mid-twenties, but that sympathetic voice was grating on his nerves.

"In any case, the rest will have to be discussed with your doctor." The green-eyed girl motioned to him, beckoning that he follow her. "You will have group therapy twice a day and individual therapy after your second group. Breakfast is at 8, lunch at 12:30, and dinner at 6. You will be required to come to the day room for each."

Yamato stopped, furrowing his brows. "What's a day room?" "This room here," the girl replied, motioning to their left.

Several uncomfortable looking chairs surrounded a television, tables were randomly placed, and the main wall was a window, offering an expansive view of the outside world. "Next door is the rec. room. There are all sorts of games and coloring books and the like, to keep yourself busy with. Down that hall you'll find the bedrooms." She announced, brushing her ponytail over her shoulder.

"All meals will be served in the day room, unless you demonstrate good behavior, in which case you will level up and be allowed down to the cafeteria. Any questions thus far?"

Yamato blinked, trying to process the information.

"Ah…no. " He trailed off, looking down the hall distantly. There was a flurry of activity in the corridor, two nurses moved from door to door, and several chattering voices filtered in from the other rooms.

"Alright" she smiled, leading him to the end of the passageway, earning a few curious looks from the other patients. "Now as I said, these are the rooms, and this one will be yours. There's a bathroom and a shower inside. We run checks every ten minutes, but with time, the nurses will space them out."

Yamato was at a loss. Life had been normal, not necessarily the best, but normal, and now he was locked up in some….some…. _nuthouse._ He clenched his teeth, anger welling up inside of him. "Listen, I'm not crazy-" His voice was almost pleading, begging this girl to understand.

"Ishida-kun? That's something you need to talk about with your doctor."

Her voice was firm, but compassionate, a sympathetic smile gracing her face. Matt felt abandoned. "You'll get used to it here, everyone does. It really isn't as bad as you think." "It's a mental institution." The boy said coldly, voice even, face devoid of any emotion.

The nurse simply shrugged, reaching out and opening the door before them. "Welcome to Kyoto Hospital-" she said, holding her clipboard in one hand and motioning inside with the other.

"Home to the hopeless and insane!" chirped a new voice. At this, the nurse turned, sending an icy glare at the room's occupant. In the doorway, the blonde quirked an eyebrow, peering inside, overwhelmed with curiosity.

The room was scarcely furnished. A large window covered the wall across from him almost entirely and was framed by a twin pair of desks, one right next to the other. Yamato noted with disdain that the desk nearest the window had drawers so crammed with clothes that they barely closed, and the top itself was littered with miscellaneous papers and coloring pencils.

Across from the desks were two beds, one made with care, sheets crisp white with a thin blue blanket tightly tucked over. The pillow, he noted absently, was missing, and his eye twitched in annoyance. Looking over at the other bed, he grimaced in disgust. The blankets were thrown haphazardly around and clothes were strewn on the floor. It appeared that his roommate had confiscated both pillows, one he was leaning on, the other, beneath this feet.

Speaking of which, blue eyes wandered up from the chaos to the figure hogging his pillow. He looked about Matt's age, perhaps a bit taller, with long, sun-kissed limbs and a casual sort of grace. He wore khaki shorts and a baggy black hoodie, lounging carelessly, tossing a soccer ball into the air and catching it with ease.

When Yamato stepped in, the boy looked up, flashing a disarming smile. Chocolate colored eyes glinted with mischief from beneath a mop of auburn hair.

Sitting up, the boy swung his legs over the side of the bed, slouching slightly. To this, the nurse shook her head. "Ishida-kun, this is your new roommate." The brunette reached up to ruffle his hair before extending his hand.

"Yagami Taichi, nice to meet cha."

Yamato looked down at the hand distastefully, then back to the boy's face before looking back at the nurse.

"Well," the nurse supplied, "I'll leave the two of you to get acquainted. Tai?" At his name, the boy cocked his head, glancing over absently. "Hm?" "Group in 15." She said simply, walking out and quietly closing the door behind her.

In the silence that followed, Yamato walked over to the window, gazing out distractedly. Taichi was quiet, watching the blond. "Where are my things?" The boy asked apathetically, not bothering to turn from the window.

"Oh," the brown-eyed boy chirped. "They'll being getting checked for contraband. The nurses'll probably bring them in while we're in group." At this, the blue-eyed boy interrupted. "Contraband?"

Noting the blank look on the other's face, the other boy stopped, absently rolling the ball in his hands. "Yeah, contraband. You know, stuff that you'll try to hurt yourself with? Cds, pencils, anything with staples, spiral bound notebooks. And then shoelaces and drawstrings and stuff that you'd try to kill yourself with." Taichi waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "After that, they'll be coming in to check vitals, and since you just got here, they'll want samples. Just so you know, you don't have to give them one. Especially if you're using."

The blond turned, brows furrowing in a mixture of anger and interest. "What do you-?" "You know, if you're using drugs or what not." He interrupted. "You look like one of those rock-n-roll types." Matt opened his mouth to protest, but the brunette kept going.

"In any case, I don't like needles much myself, and the first time I was here, I didn't know that you could refuse to give them your blood."

"You've been in here before?" The blond asked dryly. _Not comforting._

"Yeah, a few times." He shrugged it off with disinterest. "But what about you? What're you in for?" Warm brown eyes raised an eyebrow, and met an icy blue gaze. The silence stretched out between them while the boys regarded each other carefully. "Ok, fair enough. I mean, we've only known each other for what, 5 minutes?"

The relaxed nature of the brunette left Yamato a little rattled. He wasn't used to someone just shrugging everything off, and it was infuriating. Infuriating, but also intriguing.

"Well, anyhow, we need to get headed to group, then after that, they'll bring your dinner up to the dayroom. The rest of the night's free time."

"You don't eat in the day room?" Tai wasn't sure whether he had really heard a hint of insecurity in that voice, or if he had imagined it. "Yeah, I'm a level three." The boy said, tossing the ball to the side and standing up.

"Oh."

"Hey, don't worry about it. You'll level up in no time." The brunette reassured, but by the look on the blond's face, he didn't want to hear it. "But since we're gonna be room mates for awhile, can you at least tell me your name?"

The other boy looked at him, blue eyes scrutinizing him, trying to look for ulterior motives. Sensing no immediate danger, he looked to the brunette by the door. "Ishida Yamato."

_Yamato._

The brown-eyed boy smiled again, a lop-sided grin, as he opened the door for the other. He watched the blond's retreating back, in satisfied silence.

_Well, at least we're getting somewhere._

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reviews are nice. It's kind of like Christmas when I get them. WE SHOULD HAVE CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY. (end subliminal messaging)


	2. running in circles

OMG my reviewers are gods. You are wonderous! What wonderfully wonderous wonders you are!

In any case, here's the usual disclaimer: I don't own digimon. Still.

Tragic I know.

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running in circles

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This was, by far, the stupidest thing Matt had ever done. He was sure of it. The blonde sat in the far back corner, desperately trying to pretend that he wasn't there. He absently picked at the fraying holes in his worn jeans, spending a few seconds to wonder at the pale mark around his thumb. His little brother T.K. had given him a thumb ring the last time they saw each other. He'd never taken it off before, but the stupid nurse he'd first met had forced him to hand over all of his jewelry.

The boy didn't see a point in that either. Honestly, what was he going to do with his bracelets? Try to choke on them? It was ridiculous.

_Almost as ridiculous as this 'group therapy' crap._

He had been one of the last to arrive, but other patients were slowing filtering in. A pink-haired girl walked over and sat between him and a boy who looked suspiciously like his roommate. Soon after, a rather effeminate looking boy with purplish, chin-length hair, entered and took the seat closest to the spiky haired-boy. The two exchanged a meaningful look before the last member of their group arrived; a slender, disheveled brunette girl. Matt watched them out of the corner of his eye.

They seemed to be friends, all of them chattering happily, as if they were in school, not a psych ward. Yamato rolled his eyes. Seeing this, the pink-haired girl looked over, smiling brightly.

"Hey there!" she said cheerily, a little too happy for Matt's liking. "You must be new. I'm Mimi, what's your name?" The blond arched an eyebrow. "Yamato," He answered bluntly, before the girl next to Mimi coughed obviously. "Oh!" The girl exclaimed, looking slightly sheepish. "I'm sorry, how could I forget. This here is Sora," The other girl smiled, "Nice to meet you." Matt nodded and Mimi continued. "This is Ken" The purple-haired boy smiled softly, eyes vaguely distant. "And lastly-" The boy at Mimi's side lunged forward beaming exuberantly. "I'm Daisuke!" He announced, nearly leaping out of the chair in his enthusiasm. "But you can just call me Dai, everyone else does."

"Yeah, that or 'idiot'" A new voice interrupted.

Matt looked up to see Tai smiling down at them. "I see you've met the gang?" Matt put on his 'disinterested face' but couldn't help the pang of jealousy that shot through him when Tai plopped down on Mimi's lap. "And gang, that's my new roomie."

The brown-eyed boy played with a lock of Mimi's hair before pulling up a chair. Sora laughed, tipping her head back to look at Tai. "Just try not to scare this one off ok? He's kinda cute," she added with a wink. The brunette felt a surge of possessiveness at the comment. But she did have a point; Yamato was like a breath of fresh air. A golden god in ripped jeans and a tattered white shirt with warm bronze skin, honey colored hair and sharp blue eyes. Beautiful, even when he was pouting. Tai looked back at Sora and frowned indignantly, glaring and sticking his tongue out childishly.

"Anyone know who's leading group today?" Ken asked softly.

He was so frail looking; Matt was surprised he could speak at all. Daisuke smiled gently, his previous demeanor vanishing in an instant, seamlessly replaced by a strange sort of tenderness. "Yeah, Miyako's coming in today." Looking at the two boys, Yamato could tell _something_ was going on between them. He turned to Tai, mouth open to ask, when a young woman with glasses swept into the room.

The room automatically fell silent. "Good afternoon everyone. I'm Inoue-san, but for those of you who don't know, I prefer Miyako." The woman spoke with confidence, and it occurred to Matt that she'd probably been working here for a few years. "Now since the nurses said they'll be giving you guys ice cream after this, we should hurry up and get started." At the mention of ice cream, most of the teens in the room perked up immediately.

Tai shot up straight as a bolt, hand raised. "Yes Tai?" "Any chocolate per chance?" He smiled, all wide eyes and innocent features. Miyako rolled her eyes, answering yes with a resigned sigh and crossing her legs. "Score." Tai grinned; shifting in the chair so he sat with his legs spread and hands in his lap, leaning forward slightly with an impish expression on his face.

Yamato wondered _what_ exactly Tai was in here for.

Miyako looked around the room, taking in both the new and familiar faces. "Well," she said simply, scribbling something on her clipboard. "I see some new faces, but we're also missing one. Does anyone know where Jyou is?"

"Ah," Daisuke began, successfully gaining everyone's attention. "He's visiting Dr. Koushirou. He had an anxiety attack again." The therapist nodded, scribbling on the paper again. "He was doing a lot better though," The boy continued. "He only washed his hands 8 times in the whole day."

The woman's eyes widened in surprise. "Impressive." The group that had so recently adopted Matt all exchanged smiles. The blond was left trying to figure out why washing your hands 'only' 8 times a day was an achievement.

"In any case," The woman announced, placing the clipboard in her lap. "We might as well get on with it. The ice cream's waiting."

All of the heads in the room nodded in unison.

-

So all in all, group therapy wasn't quite as hellish as the blond had been anticipating. Today's topic was "why is it easier to talk to your friends than your family?" and only a few patients actually commented. Simple as it had been, Yamato was still happy it was over, he hated being around people for long periods of time. The blond headed back to his room, having finished his ice cream, and waited to have his vitals taken. As it turned out, Tai was right. No sooner had he stepped through the door, than Yamato found his belongings neatly stacked on his desk.

Speaking of which, Tai was up talking to the nurse at the desk about god only knows what, and while the rest of the group had invited Matt to join them in the rec. room, the blond declined. According to Daisuke, he had an hour to unpack before individual therapy, and then they'd head to the day room for dinner. Blue eyes scanned over his new home.

_God what a mess._

From the look of things, Yamato had no doubt that he'd need the entire hour to clear out Tai's belongings and move in his own.

Over all, the boy really didn't mind the work. The repetition gave his wandering mind something to focus on. While his first day wasn't unbearable, Matt couldn't explain the sudden emptiness inside of him. He'd finished cleaning up his half of the room and had just started unpacking when a nurse came in to take his vitals and asked for a blood sample.

Remembering Tai's words of wisdom from earlier, he refused to be stuck with the needle, but sat still while the woman stuffed a thermometer in his mouth and took his blood pressure. "Well then," she began tersely. _I guess she isn't used to patients getting the better of her_. "Since I've finished, you have individual now. The doctor's waiting for you in the first room on the left."

Matt rolled his eyes. _Wonderful. _

-

Yamato Ishida had never liked doctors. It wasn't that he was afraid of them. No, instead Yamato thought they were arrogant and pompous, and just too 'medical' about everything. Granted this _Dr. Koushirou_ he was being forced to see wasn't too bad, he was still a doctor. Regardless of whether he asked to be called by his first name.

It was a simple meeting in his opinion. Just the routine questions about why he was there, how he slept, his appetite, and his family. Near the end of the questioning, Matt's stomach let out a growl and the doctor, laughing lightly, had let him leave.

The blond boy had never been more grateful of anything in his entire life.

He headed back to his room, ignoring the clamor of the other patients. Once inside, he shut the door quietly and leaned against the wall, enjoying the silence, not bothering to turn on the light. It was nearly dusk, but because of the rainy weather everything felt darker. The sky was darker, the room was darker, _he_ was darker.

Matt suddenly felt very alone.

It was then that it dawned on him. He had been abandoned. His father and his new _girlfriend_ had just dumped him here.

_They don't want me back. I'm just excess baggage, getting in the way of their new life together. They're not coming back for me._

Anger shot through him like a bolt of lightning and without warning he turned and punched the wall as hard as he could. He could nearly scream in frustration. It wasn't fair. Life had been just fine before she came, winning his dad over. She was horrible; constantly disapproving of anything and everything Matt enjoyed. She even disliked T.K., a feat the blond had thought impossible.

The boy way so absorbed in his fury that he hadn't noticed the door open and shut, nor did he notice the boy who stood in stunned silence at his side.

"Yamato?" He asked softly, concern evident in his voice. The blond looked over, eyes nearly violet in anger. "What?" He asked harshly. He didn't want pity or sympathy; he wanted to be left alone.

"You ok?" Matt's eyes narrowed. _Do I look fucking ok?_ Instead he replied with a growl. _God, who the hell does he think he is? Pretending we're friends and all that, it's bullshit._ "I'm fine. Now leave me the hell alone." He snapped. The brunette's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing in anger.

"Like hell I will!" Tai yelled, shoving the blond backwards. "I'm trying to help, so tell me what's going on!" Yamato was furious, pushing the boy away from him. "You want to help?" He bellowed, slamming the other boy into the wall. "_You_ want to help? You're in a fucking psych ward and _you_ want to help _me_?" That's when Tai snapped, balling his hand into a fist and smashing it against the blond's jaw. Knocked to the ground, Yamato was outraged, leg jerking out and connecting with the back of Tai's knees. Tai felt his legs give way beneath him and he collapsed with a yell, the blond boy climbing on top of him and showering him with blows. It was all Tai could do to shield his face with his arms. _All of this anger, and all of this rage, and he's just taking it out on the nearest person. _ Tai couldn't help it, the whole situation was so ridiculous; and he started laughing.

Hearing the laugh beneath him, Yamato's punches slowed, then stopped, and he was left watching the boy, still seething. "What are you laughing at?" he asked, voice cold. The brown-haired boy dropped his hands, meeting blue eyes with a bemused smile. "I get it." He said softly, voice almost a whisper, and Matt knew that in some way, he'd been defeated.

The blond rose slowly, walking over to the window, trying to put some distance between them. The brunette continued to lay on the floor, looking up at the ceiling with a distant smile on his face. "And what do you think you 'get'?" Yamato asked, voice barely audible, but the bitterness in it was undeniable.

Tai stood, watching the other boy in silence. It was something quiet, secret and unspoken. The fear, and the isolation that Yamato felt was so painfully similar to his own. But this was something fragile. The boy was so closed off, it was as if he honestly wasn't used to anyone giving a damn.

And he wasn't.

Yamato had spent so much time building up his defenses, his wall, keeping everyone away, that he really didn't know_ how_ to react to someone like Tai.

His roommate walked over, standing beside him and resting his hands on the windowsill. For awhile, neither boy spoke, the only sound in the dark room, a mixture of breathing and rain against the windowpane. It was strangely comforting.

"There's no sense of time in here. Everything just works like clockwork, the same thing everyday; therapy, meds, food, therapy, food, therapy, meds, sleep. And you get so lost in it, you're not even a person anymore." Brown eyes were fixed on the window, looking out, but not at any one particular thing. In those eyes, Yamato saw a pain and longing that most people had never known.

"It a lonely feeling, knowing that out there, the world is going on just fine, even though you're not in it."

The boy took a breath, eyes sliding shut before he turned, looking at the blond and smiling softly. All traces of sorrow having vanished, and Matt was at a loss. "In any case," Tai continued, heading back towards the door, "Dinner's in a few minutes. We should head to the day room."

The blond opened his mouth to speak, confusion evident on his face, but Tai cut him off. "Yeah yeah, I know I'm a level three." He raked a hand through his hair. "But I asked if I could eat up here with you today. I figured you'd feel awkward if I left you up here alone with my friends."

Matt felt a swell of gratitude towards the dark-haired boy, but instead merely shrugged. It was a good enough answer for Tai. "I'll be right in. I have to see my therapist first, so feel free to start without me."

The blue-eyed boy nodded, watching as Tai waved his goodbye and jogged down the hall like nothing had happened. He stood there for a minute, half in awe of Tai's hidden depth, and half in curiosity as to why he cared. Deciding that he was spending all together too much time thinking about his new 'roomie,' the blond heaved a sigh and headed into the day room.

A nurse he hadn't seen before was handing out meals in styrofoam boxes. Grabbing the box with his name on it, Yamato headed over to join Tai's friends. He snagged the corner seat, crossing his legs and setting the tray in his lap. To his left was Sora, then Mimi pulling up a chair, a blue-haired boy he didn't remember from earlier sat at the table nearest them, then on his right sat Ken, and on the floor beside him, Daisuke.

He noticed, with an inward smile, that the group had left an empty place for Tai. Turning his attention to the new face, blue eyes looked at Mimi for an answer. "Oh," The pink-haired girl began. "Sorry. That's Jyou, he wasn't at group this morning. Jyou, this is Yamato, Tai's new roommate."

Jyou looked up at him, smiling and sliding his glasses back up his nose. "Hello," He said calmly. Matt nodded in response.

The blue haired boy continued to watch the blond, taking everything in. Annoyed by the scrutiny, Matt looked up at him, irritated. "What!"

Jyou blinked, not looking the slightest bit flustered by the outburst.

"I was just looking at your arms. You've got a lot of scars."

Yamato looked down at the pale marks criss-crossing over his forearms. He hadn't really given them much thought before. He wasn't ashamed of them or anything; they were just, part of his body now.

Dai's eyes widened. "Holy crap! You've got almost as many as Tai. How many do you have?" Yamato shrugged. "I dunno, a few hundred?" Daisuke continued staring until Ken smacked him. "Cut it out Dai." The brunette grinned sheepishly, ruffling his hair.

"Eh, sorry." At this, Sora piped in. "So that's why you're here? You're a cutter?" Yamato looked confused. "Uh. I guess." He said casually. "But mostly for running away. Why, what're you in here for?"

Sora took a bite of her salad, twirling the fork between her fingers. "I'm a pathological liar." She smiled, looking over at Mimi. The pink-haired girl crossed her legs, tray still closed beside her. "I'm anorexic." Jyou laughed lightly, "Obsessive-compulsive." _So that's why he washed his hands 8 times a day. _Ken raised a tentative hand, "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder." Daisuke beamed, leaning forward on the floor. "And I'm Bipolar."

The blond blinked, taking it all in. _Well. That explained a lot._

Ken looked at the spiky-haired boy, voice soft. "Where's Tai?" Daisuke leaned back, reclining against the other boy's legs. "Oh, he's still in individual. Yagami, you know. Last name on the list." Ken nodded, poking at his food.

"What about Tai?" Matt asked, looking at Mimi. The girl took a sip of water before answering. "What about him?"

"You said he cut. Is that what he's in here for?" Jyou laughed. "Oh god no. Well, I mean, that too, but no, Tai's-"

"Really hungry that's what." A new voice interrupted. Everyone knew who it was, but they all turned to look anyway. "Oh, hey Tai." Dai smiled, scooting over so the other boy could join him on the floor. "How was the good doctor?" "Meh, same old, same old." Tai waved it off, looking up at Yamato with a private smile. "So Yama, how's your first day been? Not that bad eh?"

Yamato shrugged carelessly, keeping his air of apathy.

Nah, his first day didn't seem all that bad.

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review? Cause…..they taste good?

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**TE-Bag** – thanks :D will do

**x1-TaKeN-oVeR** – soon enough for ya? I'm glad you're enjoying it so far, and I hope the second chapter lives up to the first.

**greytempest** – thank you, I appreciate it.

**The Naja** – huzzah! glad you like it.

**Nolah** – w00t. I'm so happy you like my writing. I was wondering how people would react to my sticking them in a mental institution. I'm surprised that people like it thus far. :D

**DarkMetalAngel of Destruction** – thank you, hope you like the new chapter.

**AbunaixBaka**– thanks. : ) It's been loads of fun to write, so I'm glad to hear you like it.

**foxy-comic-death** - : D thank you, I'm stoked that you like it thus far, hope you don't mind the semi-cliff-hanger.

**some chick** – my first review! Yay! Glad you like it, hope you enjoy the update!


	3. Parallel Universe?

This is my disclaimer. Were it not on a computer I would paint it orange with purple polka dots and sprinkle it with glitter. So in a nutshell, I don't own digimon.

Now that the disclaiming is out of the way, I want to apologize to my readers for taking so very long with this update. In fact, what I'm posting now is really just a snippet. I've spent a loooooooooooooong time trying to figure out exactly where I wanted to go with this fic and finally decided.

So yes, the real update will be posted in about a week.

Anyhow, onto the fic!

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Parallel Universe?

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Matt heaved a sigh, rolling over and laying on his side. He tucked the blankets up to his chin, desperately trying to stay warm. The bed was too hard, the pillow was too small, and the blankets, far too thin. All in all, the room was just too cold. Granted Tai was in the bed closest to the air conditioner but still, the blond was freezing.

Chocolate colored eyes opened and Yamato heard a soft chuckle from the bed beside his. "Two nights are always the hardest, the first and the last. Don't worry about it, it happens to everyone."

Matt lay still. As much as he felt comforted by those words, the blond had too much pride to let the other boy know that. He suppressed a shiver. It was stupid he knew, this obsession with appearing strong, but it was the only way Matt knew how to be. He wasn't the type to whine and complain, so consequently, he wasn't the type to ask for help.

_Even if it means dieing of frostbite. _

Across from him, the bed creaked, signaling some type of movement. Blue eyes narrowed, trying to peer through the complete darkness. From seemingly nowhere, a blanket came flying at his head, smacking him in the face. "Oof!"

The blond pulled the cloth off, holding it close to his eyes and squinting in an effort to figure out what it was. _Tai's blanket,_ his mind supplied, but just as he was about to toss it back, his roommate's voice interrupted. "Keep it."

Matt frowned. "I don't need it."

_Che, the hell you don't_, Tai thought to himself, rolling his eyes. He'd been watching the other boy shiver for the past ten minutes, but Yamato's pride was stifling. "Well I don't need it either," he shot back. "So if you don't need it, and I know I won't need it, then it'll just sit on the floor all night."

_Damn him,_ Matt gritted his teeth.

The two had only known each other for a day and already Yamato knew that this boy meant trouble. When one pushed, the other pulled, effectively balancing the other. Matt hated it. Tai had this way of getting around everything and for the first time in his life, the blond was left at a loss.

"Fine it'll just sit on the floor!" Matt blurted out. Sure he'd still be cold, but at least he'd beat Tai.

"Fine." The brunette replied carelessly. "Fine." "Fine!" Tai yelled, furious. Both boys were fuming, stubbornly refusing to concede defeat.

The door opened and with it light came flooding in, Matt covered his face with his arm. "Checks." The nurse announced, scribbling something on her paper. Tai rolled onto his stomach as the door closed.

"They do that all night." He murmured, sticking his foot out from under the sheet and tucking his arms around the pillow. Matt didn't answer; instead he rolled onto his side. "Tai?" He asked softly. "Hm?" The brunette turned his head, hair sticking up wildly. "What's going on with Daisuke and Ken?" Tai laughed, leaning his chin on his hand. "Oh come on, like I really have to tell you."

"So….they're gay?" he blinked, surprise evident on his face.

"Um…. well yeah I guess you could say that" Tai yawned. "But, Dai's only dated like, two boys, Ken included. Before it was just girls." "Oh," he paused, thinking this over. "So….they met in here then?" Tai ran a hand through his hair. "Nah. They both play soccer and they met during a tournament. I introduced them actually." He said with a laugh.

The conversation was a little intimidating for Yamato, but his curiosity was definitely winning out. "Ok so you and Dai were friends before?" "Half-brothers," Tai answered, stretching and rolling onto his back. Yamato mentally scolded him himself for not having noticed this detail earlier. The physical similarities were obvious, but the happy-go-lucky attitude they shared should've been a dead give away.

But for every answer, Matt was left with a whole new set of questions. Before he even had a chance to get one out, Tai posed a question of his own.

"What about you? Any brothers or sisters?"

The blond fell silent, heart wrenching painfully. "Yeah." He answered finally, voice soft and subdued. "A younger brother, T.K." "That's cool." Tai smiled. "How old is he?" "He's fourteen, a freshman this year."

Talking about his brother was difficult at best, but Matt had held it in for so long, that talking to Tai about him was strangely comforting.

"Yeah, my younger sister's a freshman this year too." Tai said with a laugh. "I've been teasing her cause she just got a new boyfriend." Matt grinned, relaxing. "Yeah, T.K. just got his first girlfriend. Hikari I think her name is."

The brunette shifted on his pillow, "That's my sister's name." He laughed. "Small world." Matt stopped, suddenly feeling wide-awake. "What'd you say her boyfriend's name was?" Tai was quiet, trying to think of it. "Ah god….um….Ta- Taka? No….Taku…"

"Takeru?"

"Yeah that was it!" He grinned, before the magnitude of it hit him. Both boys sat in a stunned silence, neither quite sure how to react until Tai's amusement won out, his face breaking into a grin. "Oh shit," He said with a laugh. In the bed beside him, Yamato was chuckling, trying in vain to hide it before giving up and letting the room erupt in laughter.

The door opened. "Checks."

-

Ta da! There you are my lovelies. Reviews? Please?


	4. stories

Author's Notes:

First- Let me apologize for taking so long to update. There's been a whole lot of personal stuff going on at home, but I finally managed to push through it. Yay team! Also, a HUGE overwhelming thank you to all my reviewers, you guys are amazing and you've really motivated me to keep writing, so thanks everyone! I'll get the review replies up by Sunday.

Second- I wanted to say that I realize that this story will have some pretty dark themes, but I just wanted it known that I neither endorse or encourage this kind of thing; specifically my references to Matt and Tai's self-injury. It isn't going to be the focus of the story, but it is an issue that they'll have to work through.

But you've all waited long enough, so without further ado, here's your update!

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stories

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"Are you serious?" Sora asked, leaning forward in her seat. In the front of the room Miyako blinked, pushing her glassesup the bridge ofher nose with a delicate finger. "Of course," she said simply, leaving the group to sit in stunned silence. Taking a look at the gaping faces around her, Miyako was really getting frustrated.

"Well I'm sure you've all noticed how..." she paused, searching for the right words, "...pointless your '_school_' is."

Crossing his arms, Matt couldn't help rolling his eyes in agreement.

Every morning after breakfast, half of the patients were herded into group therapy and the other half to a state-required 'school.' It was pathetic really. The group usually wound up doing science based crossword puzzles while Mimi doodled on the newspaper and Jyou went to the shelves and rearranged the books into groups of eight.

With this in mind, Yamato couldn't keep the sliver of excitement from showing on his face. "So you mean it? We're gonna be getting out of here?" Daisuke was allbut bouncing off the walls, grinning from ear to ear.

"Well," the woman continued, resting her hands on her clipboard, "it will still be a hospital-run facility, but in essence, yes. Dr. Koushiro will begin evaluating each of you tomorrow. From there, all those considered both stable and well-behaved enough will be permitted to attend. Adolescent hospitals in both Tokyo and Osaka will be sending a few of their patients here to Kyoto. The facility is actually located just a few miles from here, but I'll save the details until those individuals are selected. Any questions?"

Tai and his group exchanged excited glances and beyond them, Yamato took a look at the other teens in the room, only half of whom were actually paying attention to what Miyako was saying.

"Alright then," she finished, standing and straightening her jacket. "Let's end group and you've got fifteen minutes of free time before visiting hours start."

No sooner did the woman leave, than the room erupted with excited chattering. Realizing that there was no chance they'd hear each other, Tai stood and motioned for his friends to follow, heading to the rec room. Yamato, eager to get away from the noise, was more than happy to join as the others followed him out.

It was a short walk, right across the hall, but seemed to stretch for an eternity, for the first time in a long while, he had something to be excited about.

Once inside, Daisuke hugged Ken hard, beaming excitedly andnearlyshouting "we're gonna get out of here!" as he laughed, kissing the boy in his arms and catching Ken entirely off guard. Beside him, the girls giggled, turning Ken's face the color of a tomato. Tai put a hand on the boy's back comfortingly, smiling at his brother's enthusiasm before Jyou interrupted.

"I hate to ruin the moment, but she did say that on a few of us can go."

The bubbling joy ceased almost immediately at Jyou's comment, and next to him, Sora nodded. "He's right," she added softly, a mixture of fear and concern in her voice. "We don't even know who's going to get picked."

Ken silently reached out, taking Daisuke's hand and locking their fingers together before speaking in a surprisingly forceful voice. "I'm not going without Dai." The brunette smiled tenderly, squeezing the boy's hand affectionately before looking back at the group with a confident grin. "And I'm not going if Mimi's not going."

The smile was contagious and Mimi laughed linking arms with the girl beside her. "Well I'm not going if Sora isn't," the girl looked up at Jyou, who was looking away distractedly. "I'm not going if Jyou isn't going." "I'm not if Tai's not." Yamato didn't even have to look to know that warm brown eyes sought him out, both comforting and reassuring.

"And I'm not going without Yamato."

Matt watched the boy in front of him, holding the other's gaze for just a moment longer than necessary.

"Then it's settled," Mimi declared sitting on the edge of a nearby table and leaning back on her hands, letting the group know that the tension had passed. Even Jyou had relaxed considerably, adjusting his glasses with one hand and sticking the other in his pocket. "Well from a behavioral stand point, we've got a fighting chance. None of us have dropped levels or been sent to isolation or anything." Sora nodded, plopping into the closest chair. "Either way, we'll just have to wait to find out, so we might as well just try to take it easy. Anyone up for a game of Connect Four?"

- - - - - -

Yamato had no idea what to make of his current situation. How did he wind up with these people?

Since his arrival at Kyoto Hospital three weeks earlier, his roommate seemed to have an immediate bond with him. In fact, Tai had more or less adopted the blond into his group of friends at day one, not that Matt was complaining. After all, there was only so much you could do all day, especially during visiting hours and free time, when all the other patients were otherwise occupied. It wasn't even that they did anything "fun," but there was a definite chemistry that Matt felt unconsciously drawn to.

Sitting in the day room, Matt rested his chin in his hand, looking out the window absently.

"Nerve wracking isn't it?"

The blond wasn't sure when exactly Ken had walked in, but he didn't bother to respond. When they had first met, Ken barely spoke a word whenever the he was around, but as time wore on, the two had grown more accustomed to each other, understanding the silences and slowly beginning to open up.

"Tai should be out in just a few minutes," he said softly, joining the boy on the couch. Matt shrugged it off with an apathetic "Hm."

Ken wasn't convinced.

The boy knew for a fact that Yamato was faking his lack of concern, though why exactly, was a mystery. The blond, on the other hand, had ripped his nails to the point where all ten where actually bleeding.

Tai had been in individual therapy for the past hour and Matt was about an inch away from losing his mind. He could just imagine Tai sitting there with an innocently oblivious look plastered on his face while Dr. Koushirou interrogated him in what was normally a half hour session at most. It was bothering him. In fact, it was bothering him so much that the blond could actually feel himself losing his composure, and it was getting obvious.

He couldn't stop drumming his fingers or tapping his foot restlessly. If Ken noticed, he said nothing; a detail Matt was silently grateful for.

"Ken?"

The dark haired boy looked up, surprised to hear Yamato's voice. "Yes?" "Why are you here?" The blond was still looking out the window, not bothering to turn around. "You already know that. I have PTSD." "Yeah, but what caused it?"

Ken sighed softly, tucking his knees up to his chest in a defensive position. He was quiet for a short time, as if trying to find the words to say. "I had an older brother," he said distantly, resting his chin in his hands. "When we were young, our uncle used to come over and watch us when our parents when out. He started hurting me when I six." Ken's voice was even and hollow, devoid of any real feeling. "One night when I was nine, he thought we were alone, but we weren't." He paused, exhaling shakily. "My brother walked in on him raping me, and he tried to force him away, to protect me. When he ran to call the police, my uncle caught him. I watched him die."

Ken sat perfectly still while he spoke, staring outside, unfocused and vacant. "My parents came home sometime later, after the police got there, but there was nothing they could do, and my uncle was already gone. I didn't speak for three and a half years afterwards."

"My parents were at their wits end, so they decided to move here to Kyoto, hoping that the change of scenery would help. But it didn't. They admitted me almost a year ago, and I've been here ever since."

Matt sat in silence, unsure of where to begin. When he'd asked, this definitely wasn't the answer he'd been expecting. "I'm sorry," he offered lamely, unable to even look at the other boy. "It's fine," he shrugged, "I was the one who suggested coming here anyway. Daisuke was admitted about two months before I was, so I decided to join him."

That was some serious devotion, Matt concluded, shifting to sit cross-legged in the chair.

"So Dai's parents sent him here too?" Ken shook his head, body visibly relaxing with the change of discussion. "No, Dai ran away during a manic period. He was trying to stop a subway train with his bare hands when the cops picked him up." Despite the seriousness of the topic, Matt couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips. The mental image was pretty ridiculous, and he felt a wave of relief to hear the other boy laugh lightly.

"So what're we laughing at?" The two turned to see the subject of their recent conversation walk in with Mimi, Sora, and Jyou closely behind, all sitting down to join them. Matt looked at the brunette with a quirked eyebrow.

"You tried to stop the subway?"

"Hey now," the boy laughed, "It's a long story."

- - - - -

reviews? Because...you love me?


	5. losing focus

Oh god! Look at me, I'm like speed racer here!

Anyway, I thought I'd just give you all a super fast update. Thanks for all your reviews (holy crap already over 50!) And I've been trying to reply to them as soon as I get them, so if you haven't gotten a reply yet, it's comin.

Alright, that said, I still don't own. And here we go!

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losing focus

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"Did you attend school regularly?"

Yamato tried to stifle a glare, crossing his arms instead. "No. I didn't." The blond watched with mild annoyance as the doctor in front of him leaned forward to scribble on his clipboard. "And why not?" Matt leaned back in his chair, obviously irritated. "Because I didn't like it."

"Didn't like what? The teachers? The students? The classes The environ-" "All of it." Matt snapped, expecting to get kicked out of the tiny room any time now. Rationally, Yamato knew he should try to be nicer, or at least act _civil_ to the doctor. This was his one shot at getting out of the hospital, and here he was, screwing it all up because he couldn't stand another minute of being stuck talking to this shrink. Everything about him, his tone of voice, his mannerisms, his entire 'I care' facade left the blond looking for the nearest heavy object to beat the man with.

Dr. Koushirou merely peered at him from over his glasses looking completely normal before looking down and scribbling again. Yamato heaved a sigh, "So I blew it right? I'm staying here."

"Oh quite the contrary." The brunette answered, resting the clipboard on his lap and adjusting his glasses. "I've approved you." Blue eyes blinked in confusion, brows furrowing.

"You're wondering why?"

Matt nodded dumbly.

"Well from what I've seen, you're troubled, but not dangerous. You've been able to form friendships with your peers. You've attended all required activities. While you dislike authority, you still manage to comply to hospital regulation, and you're honest."

Matt stared blankly, unsure of how to respond. "Ah, well," The man interrupted, checking his watch, "it looks like our time is up. Enjoy your lunch Ishida-kun."

Feeling utterly dumbfounded, Matt stood and headed towards his room, ignoring the obnoxiously loud chatter and yells from one end of the hall to the other. While closing the door was prohibited, the blond still valued his privacy, shutting the door as close to being closed as possible before flopping onto his bed.

He was getting out.

This was his last night of sleeping on a cement bed freezing his ass off. The last night of meals that tasted like styrofoam. No more group, or karaoke music therapy, or early morning vitals.

He couldn't believe it.

He wanted to laugh, and part of him felt ready to shout this bit of information to the whole world. Speaking of shouting- Matt blinked, sitting up and glancing around the room. Where the hell was Tai?

He'd known something was off as soon as he'd entered the room. It was too quiet. Suspiciously quiet, and after three months of sharing a room with Yagami Taichi, quiet was unsettling.

He hadn't seen him in the day room when he went by, and he wasn't in the rec room. The boy stood and rushed towards the hall, so worried about finding Tai that he didn't even have time to react when the bathroom door suddenly swung open and smacked him in the face.

"Shit! Yama! Are you ok!"

Sprawled out on the ground without any of his normal grace, Yamato opened bleary eyes to look up at a very concerned, and nearly naked Taichi.

Blue eyes struggled to regain their focus, taking in the expanse of bronze and still wet skin bending over him. Slender but deceptively strong arms wrapped around him, helping the boy to his feet as Matt unconsciously reached out for something to steady himself.

Tai's skin was warm, he thought distantly, gripping the boy's arm in a desperate attempt to stay standing. His head felt woozy, and everything around him was just a little too bright and a little too loud. Trying to find something to concentrate on until he could regain his bearings, Matt looked down at his hand, the same pale hand that currently held a death grip around Tai's arm. He tuned out all sound, examining his fingers with a strangely intense stare. God his nails had gotten long, and how did Tai manage to be so tan when they were stuck indoors all the time? His skin was like...gold...with hundreds of pale white scars criss-crossing over his arms, it made Matt look like a vampire in comparison. And Tai was thin too. Not the sickly kind, which people usually attributed /him/ to, but he looked strong and soft at the same time.

His gaze traveled downward, interrupted by a white towel slung low on the other boy's hips before a wave of pain hit him.

"Fuck! My nose!"

- - - - - - - - - -

"Well, it isn't broken, but it's definitely banged up. Are you sure you don't wanna go see a nurse?" Jyou asked, handing the blond a damp wash cloth. "I'm fine." He muttered, more than a little embarrassed.

"Yeah come on Jyou, they're telling us who gets to leave today, you don't want him to have to stay behind because of a busted nose do you?" Sora interjected, sitting beside a very guilty looking Tai. "I'm _so _sorry Yama, I didn't realize you were there and my mind was somewhere else and-" "Tai, I said it's fine. Chill out."

"Guys! Group!" Daisuke shouted, making Jyou jump. The group immediatelyscrambled up, all but sprinting to the day room, where Miyako just barely managed to dodge the teens. "Aw, all this just to see little ol' me? I'm flattered."

As soon as everyone had filtered in, the woman walked over and shut the door, sitting down solemnly. "Ok then, since you all know what the focus of today's group will be, I may as well get started. Those of you who will be permitted to go to Kyoto will remain in the day room, those of you left, will head to school and then individual. Understood?"

There was a collective nod.

"Alright then. Those accepted to go to Kyoto Hospital are as follows. Ichijouji Ken, Ishida Yamato, Kido Jyou, Motomiya Daisuke, Tachikawa Mimi, and Takenouchi Sora."

Hearing his name, and the name of his friends, Matt felt an immediate rush of relief. Thank god. At least I'll know someone this time. "Alright. That said, if I called your name, please remain seated. The rest of you, nurse Aya is waiting for you by the door."

The quiet relief that the blond had been so recently basking in was cut short when he saw the brunette beside him stand up. Tai. Shit. They didn't call Tai's name. That was impossible, they had to have, how could they not let Tai go?

"Tai?" Daisuke sounded alarmed, standing up and grabbing everyone's attention. The boy smiled gently, not really looking at them. "Relax you guys. You made it. The hard part's over." He turned to leave, but his brother grabbed his arm. "No Tai, I don't want to go without you." "Yeah," Mimi answered, "Me either," "Me eit-"

"Shut up." Tai broke in, cutting Jyou off mid-sentence.

"You've all been here long enough, and if you stay because of me, I'll never forgive you." His voice held a dangerous edge, and though he didn't show it, Matt could tell that Tai was about to lose it. "Take care of each other ok? I'll be just fine."

And with that, the boy left, without a backward glance.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

My first cliff-hanger! Gasp!

Hang in there guys, I'm not -that- heartless. Though reviews would probably help me update faster, ne?


	6. changes

Ah god. So much for a timely update. I actually lost my laptop and the updates for all four of my stories so it's taken longer than expected to get this up. Thankfully, however, I got my precious back, so we're finally up and running. I'm sorry for making everyone wait, but better late than never! Oh reviewers, there are so many of you! I had no idea this story would be so well liked, but thank you so much! You guys blow my mind.

Disclaimer: alas, I still don't own it. I just like to make the characters do stuff. (thumbs up) thank you again, to all my reviewers for being so patient.

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Changes

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"Alright, so I'm sure you're eager to hear about the new facility, so I'll fill you in on the details first-"

"Why can't Tai come?" Matt blurted out, completely unaware that he'd said the thought aloud until six pairs of eyes turned to look at him. Beside him, Daisuke had a sly smile on his face. Miyako looked taken aback.

"I've already told you, Dr. Koushirou evaluated each of you and determined who would be fit to-"

"That's total bull and you know it" Dai glared. "You guys won't even give him a fair shot! He's totally fine when he's medicated and he's never acted up but you're too scared to even give him a chance at being a normal kid!" "That's right!" Sora added, resting a reassuring hand on the brunette's shoulder. "If anything, Tai winds up calming down the other kids before you even have to."

Yamato was quiet, watching the therapist take all this in. _She looks pretty pissed off. I don't even know how many times we've cut her off. I bet she'll explode any minute now._

The group was obviously tense, an aura for frustration and anger hovering in the air, waiting for the woman's response. In truth Matt had no idea what the others were arguing about. From what he'd seen, Tai seemed like a perfectly normal guy, how could he really be sick enough that he'd have to be hospitalized for the rest of his life?

"You have a good point," Miyako said quietly, taking everyone by surprise. _Well, that's definitely not the response I was expecting._ And glancing at the startled faces around him, he knew he wasn't alone. "So, I'll make a deal with you." She said simply, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose, "Sit here, listen to the rules, and go to bed without a problem, and I'll bring it up to Dr. Koushirou. Agreed?"

Her face was stern, but there was an undeniable trace of compassion in her eyes, and the blond could all but see the glimmer of hope pass through the group around him.

There was a thoughtful silence, and Ken brushed his fingers gently across Daisuke's hand before the boy answered.

"Ok, Deal."

"Alright then." The woman smiled, crossing her legs and resting her hands on her clipboard. "As I said before, the building is only a few miles from here, so if there is an emergency, staff is permitted to send any patient right back here if necessary. It's a closed hospital, so the only students will be other adolescent psychiatric patients from various hospitals. Since it is a hospital they are required to keep you under surveillance, so you will be assigned dorm rooms.

You will only be permitted to attend classes that meet your grade level. There will be mandatory therapy sessions once a week, as well as weekend visitations. It's important that you understand that you will be given a great number of privileges. You will have your own bathrooms, you'll be able to shut your door, you can have your personal belongings back, and you can eat in a cafeteria. You will also have day trips every two weeks where you will be paired off and permitted to be on your own."

_Holy shit. When she said there'd be privileges, she wasn't kidding. _Matt was floored. It was almost like getting his life back.

"Now the specifics will be discussed with you once you're admitted, so for now you're finished. I'll have you guys go back to your rooms to pack, tonight will be your last night in Kyoto Hospital, so just remember your promise and try to behave."

With that, the woman stood and opened the door, motioning for them to leave. The group stood slowly, as if in a daze. Excitement and fear and worry and relief and anxiety- everything was suddenly so overwhelming.

_This is my last night in this place. I'm free._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Eight-o-clock found Matt in his room, sitting at the desk and staring out the window. His belongings had long since been packed and sat in two paper bags in the corner, the contraband, he was told, would be returned to him in the morning.

"I'd tell you to get some sleep, but you wouldn't be able to anyway," Tai laughed. The brunette boy was laid sprawled out in the other bed, idly tossing a soccer ball into the air and catching it just before it could hit him. "Always the hardest. Last nights suck." _Wait-what? _Something about that sentence caught Matt's attention; though he hadn't even noticed it the first time Tai gave him this warning.

"Always? You mean you've gotten out before?"

Tai blinked obliviously, "Huh? Oh well yeah, it's not like I live here."

Yamato was thoroughly confused. "But how many times have you been in here? And why do you keep coming back? Are you suicidal or something?"

Tai laughed outright, not realizing the other boy was serious.

"How many times have I been admitted? God I don't know. On and off for the past two and a half years." "What! Two and a half years!" Matt was nearly shouting, throwing the other boy so off guard that he forgot the catch the ball before it pegged him in the face. "Ow!" Tai rubbed his head, chucking the ball across the room angrily. "Stupid ball."

"You must have a thing for hitting faces with stuff. My face- the door, your face- the ball." Tai laughed, sitting up lazily and hunching over. "Yeah I guess," Brown eyes looked up to see Yamato facing him, obviously unwilling to let the subject change.

"So?"

"So what?"

"So why two and a half years!" Matt demanded, frustrated by the boy's feigned absentmindedness. Tai heaved a sigh, running a hand through his hair and tucking his body further into his hoodie.

"I'm schizophrenic." He said, shifting awkwardly. "And I'm fine when I'm medicated, it's just that my mom doesn't want to pay for the pills because she wants to make my dad to take care of it. So being in the middle of a big messy divorce and all, they're using my mental health to get back at each other." Tai yawned, ruffling his hair in what Yamato assumed was a nervous habit.

"So, when they both refuse to pay for it, I lose it and get shipped here. It'll be ok once I'm eighteen though, cause then I can get the meds myself, so it's really just a matter of-"

"You're schizophrenic?"

Matt stared incredulously. _There's no way. There's no fucking way._

Tai blinked owlishly. "Well, yeah." The blond shook his head in disbelief, straddling the chair and leaning forward. "So like- you hear voices and think everyone's out to get you?"

Tai looked disgusted.

"Oh god no. I'm not a paranoid schizo, that's totally different." "Ok then, so give me an example."

The boy looked thoughtful for a minute, chewing on his thumb absently. "Well, I think the most memorable time was getting admitted when I thought I was Jesus. That was pretty weird." _Whaaat?_ Yamato stared at him blankly before snickering. Tai pouted. "Hey now! I really thought I was Jesus!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

11:15

"Checks." The door opened and shut, the boys inside ignored it. "So did you wind up talking to Dr. Koushirou again?" Tai hugged his pillow, resting his head on his arms. "Yeah, but I don't think it really made a difference. It was really nice of you guys to try though."

Matt pulled his blankets up, squinting to see the boy in the bed across from his. "For what it's worth though," Tai said softly, nearly mumbling, "I'm glad you guys are getting out, and I'm going to miss you."

_Miss me…he'll miss me._

"Dai's going to be really upset" Matt said lamely, trying to put his own feelings into words. Tai sighed, shifting to get more comfortable. "He'll get over it. He has Ken for company and besides, how many chances like this do you get, ya know?"

The blond felt his heart sink and swallowed the lump in his throat. "Try to get some rest" Tai said gently. "They'll be waking you up early." Yamato felt his eyes sliding shut, exhaustion taking its toll. "Tai?" he murmured. "Hm?"

"I'll miss you too."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Yamato."

The blond jerked awake, startled by the insistent hand on his shoulder. There was a nurse leaning over him and he blinked in confusion. "Get up and grab your things. The bus is here."

Fucking god. There is no way its morning. It's still dark outside. What time is it?

Yamato tossed the covers aside, looking around groggily for a clock. Five am. Five-o-clock in the damn morning. How do they expect- "Hurry up Ishida. You'll miss your ride." The nurse pushed, handing the boy a paper bag. "Here's your contraband. Grab your shoes." The boy fumbled around, feeling vaguely like he was still dreaming as he tried to balance three bags while sliding shoes on.

Standing in the doorway, Yamato took one last look at the small room he'd known as home, hoping to find Tai to say goodbye, but found the bed empty. Fucking fuck where's Tai? The bathroom door was shut. _Of all times to have to pee, he picked now._ Matt opened his mouth to speak but the nurse shoved him out the door, ushering him down the hall and leading him through a series of security doors. A bus sat out front, the engine still running while Miyako stood at the door talking to the driver. On seeing the boy, she smiled.

"Good morning Yamato, go ahead and grab a seat." Matt was half-asleep and too dazed to managed a respectable glare. He plodded up the steps only to find Jyou, Sora, Mimi, Daisuke, and Ken all sitting in their pajamas and watching him expectantly. Feeling a little self-conscious, Matt looked down at his checked pants and raggy t-shirt before running a hand through uncombed hair and taking the nearest seat.

Behind him, Dai was all but climbing over his seat. "Well?"

Matt swallowed hard and didn't look up, unable to say the words that no one wanted to hear. The bus driver climbed on.

"Oh hell no. I'm not leaving without Tai." Daisuke growled, jumping up as Ken grabbed his shirt. "Dai don't-" "Where's Miyako! She said she'd talk to him!" The boy sounded frantic and it was worrying the others. "Dai calm down" Mimi insisted, grabbing the boy's shoulders. "You're going to get us all in trouble if you don't calm down" Sora pleaded. Daisuke would hear none of it, screaming at the top of his lungs. "I don't give a damn I'll yell all I want! Where the hell is Tai huh! Where is he!"

"Jesus Christ I'm right here now shut up will ya?"

Standing in the stairwell clutching two paper bags was Yagami Taichi in an oversized sweatshirt and plaid pants, looking decidedly exhausted and annoyed. "Think you yelled loud enough? Damn, I bet my ears are bleeding."

Seven shocked and utterly amazed faces stared back at him as the boy shuffled towards Yamato, looking at him with a lopsided smile. _I don't believe it. They're letting him come_. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Alright driver!" Miyako announced, climbing in and swinging the door shut. "it looks like we've got everything, so lets move out!" Matt looked from the woman smiling slyly in the front seat, to the laughing group behind him and the brunette currently falling back asleep on his shoulder.

Ok. Maybe he could become a morning person.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

So there you have it, the reason Tai's hospitalized. I'd love to hear what you guys think, any and all reviews are spectacular. aaaand, oh, oh! Is that some shonen-ai action going on there? I think it is! Hang tight guys, it'll take me a little bit to update, since I have to rewrite it all, but I'll try to update as soon as I can.


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